Doue suffered a jaw injury during France’s 3-1 victory over Italy at San Siro and remains a doubt for the Group A fixture. The result against Italy strengthened France’s position, but Zinedine Zidane’s side need more than a point if they are to finish top of the group.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward was hurt in the 69th minute after being caught by an elbow from Italy midfielder Davide Frattesi. He required medical attention because of the pain, leaving his involvement against Turkey unresolved.
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Doue visited a dentist on Friday afternoon after one of his teeth was loosened by the impact. He was nevertheless able to take part in the opening stage of France’s training session at the Atlantic stadium in Bordeaux.
Zidane and his medical staff will continue to assess the 20-year-old before deciding whether he can play. France are reluctant to take risks with his fitness, given the importance of Sunday’s match and the stage of the competition.
Mbappe provides boost for Zidane
There was better news regarding Mbappe, who returned to full team training after missing the win against Italy with a hamstring injury.
The France captain completed the group section of a session lasting about 30 minutes. The substitutes from the previous day’s match then continued with further work, providing an indication that Real Madrid forward Mbappe is nearing a return to full fitness.
His availability would be particularly significant for Zidane after France began the camp with several players unavailable. Mbappe’s return at this point offers the manager a timely boost before the meeting with Turkey.
The session also included a minute’s silence for the victims of the attacks of 13 November 2015, held on the 11th anniversary of the events that shook France.
Zidane and Mbappe also met the families of two firefighters from the Gironde region who died during the summer fires, in a gesture away from the competitive focus of the camp.
Point enough, but France target top spot
France only need to draw with Turkey to secure their place in the Nations League quarter-finals. However, that result would not guarantee the objective Zidane considers most important: finishing first in the group.
Top spot would mean facing one of the teams that finish second in their groups rather than another group winner in the quarter-finals. Greece, England and Denmark are currently among the sides in contention for second place.
Winning the group would also give France home advantage in the second leg of the quarter-final, which will be played over two matches. The quarter-finals are scheduled for March, while the semi-finals and final will take place in June as single-match ties.
France therefore enter the Turkey match with both a qualification concern and a strategic goal. Doue’s injury demands caution, while Mbappe’s return offers reassurance as Zidane’s team seek to secure the best possible route towards the title.
